Gardening Pup

[Genabee]

I have recently taken up gardening (which if you knew me in real life, would have you in hysterics right now. I am the queen of killing indoor plants). Don Burke - take me on!!!!

Out the front we have a bit of lawn (the only lawn at our home) and a length of garden bed along the picket fence. So I completely dug out what was there and have started again. For a novice, I must say it looks quite pretty.

I bought some Skedadle from Bunnings and sprinkled it around, as Genevieve thinks that the garden bed is the quickest route to China.

We have garden beds out the back of our house (courtyard area), which I have left for her to do as much digging and burying and running around as she likes. These run the entire length of our back fence.

I don't mind her being in the front garden when I am there, as I know she likes to frolic in the grass and watch people as they go past. We also play ball and chase one another around out there. But how do I keep her off the garden bed? She does not seem phased by the repellant - she still jumps in and sniffs and digs around.

I don't want to restrict her from being in the font garden if I can help it. Any ideas?

Edited July 12, 2010 by Wizzle

[Cosmolo]

chicken wire laid flat and securely pegged, with holes cut for plants, cover in mulch- works perfectly

[dancinbcs]

Don't do any gardening with the dog around. They like to copy what their owner is doing. Years ago a friends GSD watched her cutting some of her prize roses to put in a vase. An hour later she went out and the dog had picked the rest of the roses. He had never shown any interest in the flowers until he saw her cutting them.

[Genabee]

Oh no! The poor roses!! I hope he didn't get thorns in his teeth!

Maybe I will have to try the chicken mesh.... as an added precautionary measure.

I guess she turns out to be part dog part monkey

[twodoggies2001]

I see one problem here. You say you allow her to dig and run around in the back garden beds. She doesn't know the difference. Since she is allowed to do that in the back, she thinks she can also do this in the front. It reminds me of when some people give their pup an old shoe of slipper to play with, and then expect them to know the difference between that old one and a new pair of shoes.

[Guest]

Maybe the clamshell sand pit might help with a few outdoor toys in it, thenshe would have her own area to dig in.

lablove

[ellz]

I see one problem here. You say you allow her to dig and run around in the back garden beds. She doesn't know the difference. Since she is allowed to do that in the back, she thinks she can also do this in the front. It reminds me of when some people give their pup an old shoe of slipper to play with, and then expect them to know the difference between that old one and a new pair of shoes.

+1

If you really don't want her on certain garden beds....either fence them off or contain her to where she CAN play!

[Genabee]

Maybe the clamshell sand pit might help with a few outdoor toys in it, thenshe would have her own area to dig in.

lablove

That is what we tried to do with the back garden beds... made it her own area so to speak. They look like sandpits as nothing has been in them.... just sand and her toys! I didn't want to do the clamshell thing, as we have one for my niece to play in when she comes over. It's covered over in the corner when she is not playing in it, but I thought that would be confusing if we had one for Little G... to then be kicking her out of Ciel's!

Someone suggested to me to leave a few half full water bottles along the garden beds.... does this really work or is it an old wives tale?

I may just have to keep her out of the front yard full stop... Our last dog must have been a freak of nature, as she didn't chew and didn't dare go near the garden beds!! Now I am getting it back two-fold! Genevieve tries to dig up the grass!!!!!!

Edited July 13, 2010 by Wizzle

[Miranda]

Someone suggested to me to leave a few half full water bottles along the garden beds.... does this really work or is it an old wives tale?

Well it certainly wouldn't work on my dogs You'll either have to fence off the garden beds or restrict her to the backyard.